1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for data safeguarding and/or data restoring by using a magnetic tape, including the steps of reading the data to be safeguarded from at least a data file or a memory, collecting the data as a data save set in a device for packing up the data, setting up a network interconnection to a data safeguarding system, using a magnetic tape, transmitting the data save set via the network interconnection and recording the data save set on magnetic tape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Provisions for safeguarding data are known. Rather often, a data processing system includes a plurality of satellite computers and respective data files communicating with each other via a network interconnection. The data stored in the data files are safeguarded by connecting a data backup system to the network and recording the data to be safeguarded on a magnetic tape. According to prior art, this can be effected such that to each satellite processor of the overall system a device for data pack-up is associated which, upon request by a suitable command, reads and collects the data to be safeguarded from the data files and/or memories by using respective memorized commands. In collecting, the data to be read are set up to a so-called save set. As soon as a data save set of this type is ready, it will be temporarily stored. Subsequently, the transfer channel is set up via an interface of the satellite processor to the network and from the network via a further interface to the data safeguarding system. Thereafter, the data save set will be transmitted from the temporary memory of the data pack-up device through the transfer channel to a fixed magnetic disk in the data safeguarding system and then the data will be fed from the fixed magnetic disk to the magnetic tape. For data restoring the data transfer is effected vice versa.
Temporarily storing the data several times, such as at the source or satellite processor and further before transmiting to the magnetic tape requires time. Moreover, by manipulating the data this way, the reliability of the data backup becomes worse.